05/29/2026
The money she built.
The money she invested with intention.
The money she expected would help her, and then help her children buy a home, pay off debt, and support the next generation.
And then, unexpectedly — she was gone.
Her family inherited her IRA. They had real plans for it — a first home, student loans, their own kids' tuition.
Nearly 40 cents of every dollar will go to taxes.
On a $500,000 IRA, this gift is going to cost them over $200,000 in income taxes. And because the money they use to pay that bill is also taxable — they're paying taxes on the taxes.
Before she passed, she had gone to a local attorney looking for help.
His response?
"Just feel lucky you have the money to pay the tax."
That's not planning. That's acceptance.
This isn't a rare situation. It isn't the result of poor saving or bad investing. It's a planning gap — and it's one that can often be addressed, but only before the money starts moving.
If someone you love has an IRA, this conversation is worth having — while there's still time to change the outcome.